Row defining apparatus for cane harvesters



Feb. 2, 1954 S. D. POOL ET AL ROW DEFINING APPARATUS FOR CANE HARVESTERS Filed Jan. 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 2, 1954 s. D. Pool. ET. AL 2,667,727

Row DERINING APPARATUS RoRl CANE HARVESTERS Filed Jan. 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Si R520-1i gig. 5. Eim

Patented Feb. 2, 1954 ROW DEFINING APPARATUS FOR CANE HARVESTERS Stuart D. Pool, Moline, and Edward M. Melin, Rock Island, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 22, 1952, Serial No. 267,526

This invention relates to a new and improved row defining apparatus for cane harvesters.

Cane harvesting machinery and particularly cane harvesters which are employed to pass through a field of standing cane and harvest the cane, require means for defining or separating the cane into rows so that the harvesting machine may effective cut the cane and either deposit it in the field or deliver it to trailing wagons or the like. The inherent nature of cane in certain areas is to become tangled and matted on the ground because of storms and to grow in irregular fashion so that there are no clearly defined rows of cane stools. Although the cane is initially planted inrow formation, the cane from the rows becomes intertwined making it impossible to propel a harvesting machine therethrough without preliminarily cutting between the rows of cane to permit treatment thereof by a harvesting machine without pulling cane stalks, the roots of which are in adjacent rows.

The principal object of the present invention is therefore to provide a twofold function of clearly defining rows of cane preliminary to harvesting of the cane and to confine the defined row in a relatively narrow space to insure complete harvesting thereof.

An important object of this invention is the provision of means in a row defining apparatus for picking up down cane and shearing it to permit easy pickup of the cane by a trailing harvesting machine.

Another important object of this invention is to supply means on the forward end of a cane harvesting machine for separating tangled rows of cane.

Still another object of this invention is to provide spaced ground scraping means positioned forwardly of a cane harvester for simultaneously lifting down and matted cane upwardly and inwardly. J

Another and still further important object of this invention is to provide leaf spring members arranged and constructed in an overlapped and fan shaped manner and adapted to scrape the ground of a cane field whereby down cane stalks are elevated on the leaf spring members and are positively sheared by a rotating cutter member whereafter they are conveyed transversely inwardly for deposit in a narrow windrow along 12 Claims. (Cl. 56-95) with the cane standing in that row for convenient pickup and cutting by a harvesting machine.

A still further important object of this invention is the provision of a row defining apparatus for cane fields wherein there are employed oppositely disposed auger conveyor members for transforming a relatively wide row of cane into a relatively narrow row.

Other and further importantobjects of this invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the row defining apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device as shown in Fig. 1. f

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line t-'..

of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral I0 indicates generally the frame members of a cane harvesting machine which is not shown in its entirety. The cane harvester includes a pair of vertically disposed transversely spaced pipe members II and I2 and a cross beam I3. This structure comprises the forward end of a field traversing cane harvester.

As stated in the objects above, it is the function of the row defining apparatus of this invention to be positioned forwardly of a harvesting machine for the purpose of separating the cane, however it might be tangled, into clearly defined narrow rows. The row defining apparatus comprises spaced members I4 and I5. Each of the members I4 and I5 includes a forwardly extending frame arm I6 and I'I respectively. The arm I6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is'hingedly mounted at I8 on a transversely disposed stub shaft Ia carried in bracket means 2li which in turn is fastened to the upright pipe member II of the cane harvester frame I D at 2l and 22. Similarly the frame arm I1 of the row defining member I5 is hingedly mounted for vertical swinging movement at 23 on a stub shaft 24 which is carried in a bracket member 25 fastened to the upright pipe member I2 at 26 and 2l'.

The frame member I'I for the row defining member I5 includes a first part 28 inclined forwardly and downwardly from the supporting post or pipe l2 of the cane harvester frame l0. A second part 29 of the hinged frame member l1 thereafter extends forwardly and slightly upwardly. The frame member l'l is thus in the form of a slight bell-crank. The central or intermediate portion of the frame member Il between the portions 28 and 29 is designated by the numeral 30, and as best shown in Fig. 3 the portion 3i) of the frame member l1 xedly carries a sleeve-like bushing member 3l. Similarly the row defining member I4, as shown in Fig. 3, includes the frame member I6 as having a central portion 32 between a forwardly and downwardly extending portion 33 and a forwardly and slightly upwardly extending portion 3A. A sleeve 35 -is carried in the center or bell-crank portion 32 of the hinged frame arm l5. Spaced ballbearing. members 35 and 3i are disposed within the sleeve 35 and journally receive a transversely disposed shaft 38. A hub 39 is ixedly mounted to the journaled shaft 38. A sprocket d s-formed inwardly of the hub 35 and lies adjacent the hinged frame arm l5. A relatively large dish-shaped'disk'! is provided with a peripheral knife edge l2 Awhich as shown in Fig. 1 is scalloped with a plurality of spaced notches 53. A driven chain M is adapted to encircle the sprocket d and impart rotational drive thereto. Rotation of the sprocket t causes the concurrent rotation of the cutting disk 4i and the shaft 33.

A sleeve 45 is mounted on the shaft 38 spaced inwardly of the sleeve 35. The sleeve 45 constitutes a core about which is carried a spiral night or screw member 56. The core i5 is disposed concentric to the shaft 38 and is mounted thereover by spaced end ring members di andfl. A nut t9 engages the threaded end of the shaft 38 and abuts an enlarged annular washer 5t lying adjacent the ring 58. Theauger conveyor, designated as a unit by the numeral 5i and as previously stated, comprises the core 45 and the screw flight 45. The anger 5l thus rotates with the shaft 38, and cane stalks which are cut by the rotating disk 4l are conveyed transversely inwardly to the space 52 between the row defining members i4 and l5.

1n the same manner as the row definingV member l is constructed the member l5 includes a sprocket 53 carried onl a shaft 55 which is journaled for rotation within the fixed. sleeve 3 l VThe sprocket 53 has attached thereto a large diameter dish-shaped rotating disk 55 having a circumferential knife edge 56 scalloped4 or notched at 51 in the same manner as the disk lll. A side elevational view of the disk 55 is shown in-Fig. 2 clearly indicating the knife edge 55 and the regularly spaced scallops 5l around the circumference thereof. An auger conveyor 58 is fastened to the shaft 54 and upon rotationl of the sprocket 53 by reason of the driven chain 59 the cutter disk 55 is adapted to cut through stalks of cane and whereafter the cut stalks are fed laterally inwardly by reason of the conveyor 53. It is apparent that both of the row defining members ld and i5 deposit the cane centrally thereof in the space 52 for the later treatment by the following harvesting machine.

The forward end of the portion 29 of the hinged arm l'l xedly carries a sleeve shaft member 55. The sleeve 55 has a laterally extending portion 6l `beyond the side of the. hinged arm Il. A plurality of ground scraping springarms or fingers 62, 53,. 55and 65 areV supported by the laterally extending` sleevepportion 6l. Each.

of the spring arms 62, 63, 64, and 55 is provided with a circular bearing portion at its forward end as shown at 56, 61, 58, and 59 respectively. The circular portion 66 of the arm 62 is slidably mounted over the sleeve portion 5l and similarly the circular portions 51, 58, and 59 are disposed over the sleeve portion 5| and the circular portion 36 of the arm 62 in concentric manner and in the order named. The circular portions 56, 61, 58, and.59 are relatively loosely mounted over one another so that their respectivearms'Z, 53, 54,. and 55 have relatively free and separate hinged movement about the sleeve shaft 5B. Spaced side plate members 'lil and ll are carried on the sleeve shaft 5t and the annular walls thereof contain the circular portions 35, 51,. 65, and 69 in their aligned concentric relationship. A bolt member 'l2 passes transversely through the. sleeve E5 and with the aid ci disk members 13- and. 1d maintains the forward unit relatively compact and in fixed relationship permitting only the hinged movement of the arms 62, 53,

' 54, and 65 vertically about the sleeve portion 5! of the sleeve shaft 55. The row defining unit l5 is similarly constructed with ground scraping leaf spring fingers l5, 15, ll, and 'f8 which are carried in the same manner as the springfmembers 52, 53, E5, and 55 of the row defining unit l5. Washer members 19 and 8B are disposed between the forward portion ttl of the hinged arm l5 and the outside of the journalling ends of the spring arms or fingers l5, l5, il, and 18 andare held in fixed relationship by reason of the .bolt member 8l corresponding tothe bolt member 'i2 of the unit l5.

The ground engaging portions of the spring arms 52, 63, 55, and 55 are normally inclined downwardly and forwardly in the manner of shovels to scoop upV any cane stalks that are lying on the ground. 'The stalks climb up the inclined surfaces of these arms and are thus delivered into the path of the rotating cutter disk 55. As the stalks rise on the shovels or ground engaging armsg, 53, Eil, and 55, they enter the angle 32 defined between the circumference ofthe cutter disk 55 and the downwardly and forwardly inclined arm ends. Further, as shown in Figs. l and 3, the arms overlap slightly whereby the stalks picked up and cut will tend to be delivered transversely inwardly by reason of the relationship of the arms and their rearward and upward inclination. In other words, the cut stalks are gradually fed inwardly by the overlapped spring arms as the arms drag the ground and perform the function of clearly defining a row of cane for operation thereon b-y a cane harvester. lThe inwardly moving forces of the overlapping spring arms andthe auger conveyor 58 are supplemental one to the other so that there isa positive movingforce for the cane stalks after they are severed toward the central space 52 between the spaced-apart row defining units lil and l5. rIhe function of the row defining memberv lllis identical to that of the row defining member l5 but for the movement of the stalk material opposite thereto so that both units are feeding to the'central space 52. Y

In order that a positive shearing of the stalks be accomplished, shear plates 83 and 3Q. are attached by means of rivets or the like 85 and 86 to the innermost spring arms 52 and 'i5 respectively. The shear plates 83 and 65 extend outwardly beyond-the outer edges of the armsf52 and l5 into close proximity to the'circumferential knife edges 56 and l2 of the rotating cuttingv disks 55 and il respectively. It is'therefore'evident that when the stalks are delivered upwardly on the shovel arms, they will be denitely sheared by their contact with the rotating cutter disks 4| and 55. L

As best'shown in Fig. 2, a lifting arm 81 carried by the cane harvester frame llil at a position,fnot shown, projects forwardly and downwardly to attachment with the hinged frame arm I1 at the intermediate position thereof where the disk cutter 55 and inwardly conveying auger 58- are mounted. Similarly an arm 88 adjustably carries the intermediate portion of the hinged arm I6, and it should ce understood that the arms 8l and 88 may be separately or simultaneously vertically adjusted, as desired, to effect a raising or a lowering of the row defining units i4 and l5. As best shown in Fig. 3, the inwardly projecting and carrying augers 5l and E5 respectively are equipped with stationary cup-like disk members 89 and 9d. These cup-like disk members 89 and im are fixed to the sleeves and 3l so that they remain stationary when the augers 5| and 58 are rotating. These members 89 and 9G prevent cane or other material from entering the drive mechanism for the cutting discs and the augers.

ln the operation of this device the row deliniug members lli and l5 are propelled forwardly through a held of cane which includes standing and down cane. The ground scraping and shoveling fingers of the respective row defining members is and l lift the down cane and deliver the :talks upwardly into the paths of the rotating u L.er disks which clearly separate the stalks between the rows and deliver the severed stalk ends inwardly to the space 52 between the row delining units la and l5. The inwardly extending augers '5l and 5B add to the positive delivery of the stalks to the central position 52. The row defining members thus act to clearly separate the tangled rows of cane and confine the down and standing stalks in a narrow compact row easily handled by the oncoming cane harvester.

rlhe ground engaging lingers of both of the row defining units are spread in a fan shape and extend from a vertex position at the forward ends of the hinged frame arms I6 and l1 rearwardly and over the inwardly carrying augers 5l and 53 and thence forwardly and downwardly Where they yieldably engage and scrape the ground. The fan and the overlap formations of the spring ground scraping fingers cooperate with the transversely disposed auger conveyors in such a manner that the row defining units clearly cause a separation of the cane whether it be standing or down and, as previously stated, supplement each other in the movement of material in a relatively wide to a relatively narrow row. The spring lingers as they curve over and down around the auger conveyors thus hold any stalks in against the auger conveyors so that material is positively fed to the space E2 between the spaced row defining members.

Numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein and we therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A stalk raising, cutting and conveying apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a forwardly projecting frame arm hinged at its rearward end to said supporting frame, a substantially vertically disposed cutter disc journaled on a transverse axis intermediate theends of said frame arm, the circumference cutting edge of 'said disc spaced vertically upwardly ,from thel ground, a plurality of ground engaging spring fingers hinged for free swinging movement about the forward end of the frame arm, .the outer of said spring lingers lying closely adjacent said cutter disc, said spring fingers extending rearwardly beyond the transverse axis of said cutter disc and thence inclined downwardly and forwardly, whereby stalks raked by the spring fingers are raised Yup the inclined portions of the spring lingers and into the scope of the cutter disc, said spring lingers spread inwardly in fan formation from the outer of said spring lingers with a slight overlapping to provide for a gradual movement of stalks out by the disc cutter inwardly thereof as the apparatus moves forwardly through a lield of stalk crops.

2. A device as set forth in claim l in which an auger conveyor is mounted for rotation with said disc cutter and extends transversely inwardly thereof beneath and forwardly of said spring fingers, and said auger conveyor having a circumference spaced vertically upwardly from the ground.

3. A device as set forth in claim l in which the cutter disc has a scalloped circumference.

4. A device as set forth in claim l in which means is provided for rotatably driving said cutter disc.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided for simultaneously rotatably driving said cutter disc and said auger conveyor.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which a shear plate is fastened to the outer of said spring fingers, said shear plate positioned in shearing relationship with said disc cutter, whereby the combined action of the shear plate and disc cutter effectively cuts stalks.

7. A row defining unit for stalk crops comprising a supporting framework, a forwardly disposed arm hinged to said supporting framework at its rearward end, a cutter disc journally mounted to said hinged arm intermediate the ends thereof, an auger conveyor fastened to said cutter disc and rotatable therewith, a journal support located on the forward end of said hinged arm, a plurality of ground scraping spring fingers having forwardlydisposed circular ends, means mounting said circular ends on said journal support in concentric relationship, said spring fingers spreading in fan shape rearwardly over the auger conveyor and thence downwardly and forwardly, and said spring fingers slightly overlapped in lateral relationship from a forward position adjacent the cutter disc to a rearward position spaced from the cutter disc.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which drive means is delivered to said cutter disc and said auger conveyor.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which means is provided for vertically adjusting said hinged frame arm.

10. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which a shear plate is fastened to one of said spring arms adjacent said cutter disc.

11. A stalk raising, cutting and conveying apparatus comprising a supporting frame mounted for oscillatory movement, a vertically disposed disc cutting means carried by said supporting frame spaced above the ground, means for driving said vertically disposed disc cutting means, laterally extending ground scraping means carried by the supporting frame and having one end T 8A thereof extending into `juxtaposition -With the lRefereneesfCited inthe le of thisy patent vertically disposed :disc cutting means,..and ia UNITEDYSTATES PATENTS transverselyidisposed augerconvveyingvmeans attacked to the vertically 'disposedvdisc cutting Number Name' Date means for, moving cut:materiamaterallyinwardly 5" 113,223 Thomas Mar- 23 1871 of said vertically disposed .zdsc :cutting .'means "263,546 'Logan Aug- 29: 1332 andsalong the ground scrapingfmeans. 432550 Termal July 22: 1890 the* 1glroundvr sxlz'xning memusmis` yieldablyimounted FOREIGN PATENTS on esuppo g. frame.

STUART:11:.-P001..Y 1 Number Country Date EDWARDEMSMELIN. '18;233 Australia June 16, 1924 

